Tennis
$180 Million Backup
By: Colin Lacy
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
With the NFL Wild Card round starting for the 2024 postseason this weekend, one team that had a shot to play on into postseason, but came up short to end the regular season made some news as Atlanta Falcons GM Terry Fontenot met with the media Thursday afternoon.
Fontenot met with the media and when asked about the plan for Kirk Cousins, the Falcons GM said the Atlanta is “comfortable” with having the $180 million QB serve as the back-up moving forward.
“We are very comfortable moving forward with (Cousins) as backup,” Fontenot said Thursday.
“Kirk is a great man, and he’s been great support for Mike. We are very comfortable moving forward with him as the backup.”
After turnover issues, the Falcons made the decision to bench Cousins officially going into week 16 against the Giants and turned to Michael Penix Jr. to lead the Atlanta offense for the final three regular season game.
Coming into the season, after Atlanta signed Kirk Cousin for $180 million to pilot the Falcons just weeks before drafting Penix in the first round after his magical run with University of Washington.
The sequence of moves left a lot of Falcons fans scratching their heads. While either one set alone would be great for a Falcons team who has been thirsting for a productive quarterback ever since the front office “let” Matt Ryan go to the Colts…Still not over that. The rub came with the question of “why both?”
The Falcons plan for this marriage was, at least publicly, was for Cousins to navigate the Falcons for two seasons while mentoring Michael Penix Jr. When the turnover woes came into play, the timeline was expedited by well over a year.
Terry Fontenot also told the media that the Falcons signed Cousins expecting to see a “high-level quarterback play for two years.” The Atlanta GM would go on to say, “the plan was for Kirk to play longer and for Mike to sit longer.”
Now the question comes into play of while the Falcons are “comfortable” with Cousins continuing the mentorship part of the plan and serving as the backup quarterback, is Cousins comfortable with the new plan?
Cousins showed flashes of still being a really good quarterback in the NFL, thinking back to his record setting 509 yards passing in an overtime win against Tampa Bay.
Folks also thought this was a match made in heaven with back-to-back wins against the Cowboys and Buccaneers for a second time, but that was the pinnacle of the season for Cousins.
After that stretch, the final five starts for the former Viking turned into throwing one touchdown and nine interceptions which would tie the NFL lead for the season with sixteen picks.
Especially after the Netflix Documentary “Quarterback” a few years ago, Cousins has been a fan favorite for his personality and leadership qualities everywhere he’s been, especially in his time with Minnesota, and that’s no different in Atlanta.
While a well-established NFL quarterback very easily could have turned the relationship sour after being benched in year one, Fontenot alluded to that being far from this situation, “Kirk is a great man, and he’s been great support for Mike. We are very comfortable moving forward with him as the backup.”
This is one, I’m torn. From the Falcons perspective, it would be awesome for Cousins to be essentially a second QB coach for Atlanta and mentor Michael Penix Jr. as he begins what the Birds believe is a long and successful career.
On the flip side, I also think Cousins has a lot to give to a team and could be a crucial factor going forward.
The Fall Guy
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The NFL regular season is over and coaches are starting to get fired as a result. Let’s talk about the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Jacksonville fired head coach Doug Pederson after going 4-13. They have lost 18 of their past 23 games. He did go 9-8 in his first two seasons before the bottom fell out in 2024. His record in Jacksonville is 22-29.
“I had the difficult task this morning of informing Doug Pederson of my intention to hire a new head coach to lead the Jacksonville Jaguars,” owner Shad Khan said in a statement.
“Doug is an accomplished football man who will undoubtedly enjoy another chapter in his impressive NFL career, and I will be rooting for Doug and his wife Jeannie when that occasion arrives. As much as Doug and I both wish his experience here in Jacksonville would have ended better, I have an obligation first and foremost to serve the best interests of our team and especially our fans, who faithfully support our team and are overdue to be rewarded. In that spirit, the time to summon new leadership is now.”
The Jags have retained General Manager Trent Baalke who is entering the final year of his contract. I do raise an eyebrow when only the head coach is fired from a losing team but the GM keeps his job. I view them as a package deal because the GM assembled the subpar roster that could not win games.
Khan will be looking for his sixth head coach since he purchased the team in November 2011 and assumed control in 2012.
Currently the other teams searching for a new head coach are the New York Jets, Chicago, New England and New Orleans. Out of these openings I think Jacksonville is the fourth best job with New Orleans being last.
This next year will be very important because we may finally have to look at quarterback Trevor Lawrence to see if he is a franchise QB. He was considered a generational talent when he was drafted #1 in the 2021 draft.
The Jags were 1-15 the previous year and they hired Urban Meyer for his first NFL head coaching position. They were 2-11 under Meyer before he was fired December 16, 2021. We don’t hold Lawrence’s rookie season against him.
His best season was his second year when he passed for 4,113 yards, 25 touchdowns and 8 interceptions. He signed a five-year, $275 million contract extension, including $142 million guaranteed on June 14, 2024. That tied Joe Burrow as the highest paid player in NFL history at the time of the signing.
Lawrence has dealt with injuries this season, which include a significant AC joint sprain and a concussion so he only played in ten games. With that being said, he did not perform like Burrow in the games he did play.
Rookie wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. was great. He had 87 receptions, 1,282 yards and 10 TD’s.
The defense is ranked 31st in yards allowed per game (389.9) and last in passing yards allowed per game (257.4). On offense they were 25th in yards per game (305.8).
The top coaching candidate is Ben Johnson, the Detroit Lions offensive coordinator. They just secured the top seed in the NFC so they might make a deep playoff run.
Todd Monken, the Ravens offensive coordinator is also someone to look at.
Detroit’s defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn and Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady are two more names to consider.
It will be interesting to see who the Jags hire and if they can quickly make them a contender.
Playoffs!
By: Michael Spiers
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
With college football bowl season in full swing, and the college football playoffs going on, it’s understandable that current focus is squarely on the collegiate gridiron.
But with just one week left in the 2024-25 NFL regular season, the pro league is offering its share of excitement.
There are still plenty spots and seeding up in the air in both the AFC and NFC playoff races. While some teams have locked in their spots, Week 18 is shaping up to be a high-stakes showdown for division titles, seeding, and those last few playoff berths. Here’s how things look after Week 17 officially ended following Detroit’s win on Monday night.
NFC Playoff Picture: The NFC race is heating up, especially in the North and South divisions.
The Detroit Lions are back on top after a wild 40-34 win over the 49ers. They’ll face the Minnesota Vikings in Week 18, a winner-takes-all battle for the NFC North crown and the conference’s No. 1 seed. Both teams are 14-2, but Detroit has the edge because of their Week 7 victory over Minnesota. In that game, Jahmyr Gibbs went off, racking up 160 total yards and a touchdown.
It’s simple: if the Lions win or tie, they clinch the division and the top seed. If the Vikings win, they take over the North. Either way, this primetime matchup is going to be must-watch football.
Down South, the Buccaneers are clinging to a one-game lead over the Falcons.
Tampa Bay just needs a win or a tie against my hometown New Orleans Saints in Week 18 to lock up the division.
The Falcons, though, have a tougher road. They need to beat the Panthers and hope the Saints upset the Bucs.
Meanwhile, the Eagles are cruising into the playoffs with the No. 2 seed locked up. The Rams, Commanders, and Packers round out the current NFC playoff teams.
AFC Playoff Picture: Over in the AFC, things are a little clearer, but there’s still plenty of drama.
The Chiefs have been dominant all season, clinching the No. 1 seed, so they’ll probably rest their starters in Week 18.
The Bills have locked in the No. 2 spot after crushing the Jets 40-14.
But the AFC North is still up for grabs. The Ravens and Steelers both have a shot at the division title and the No. 3 seed.
The Ravens will face the Browns, while the Steelers take on the Bengals. Both teams are already in the playoffs, but Week 18 will decide who comes out on top.
The Texans secured the AFC South a couple of weeks ago, and the Chargers clinched their spot last week with a win over the Patriots.
That leaves one wild card spot up for grabs, and the Broncos are sitting in the driver’s seat. They’re 9-7 and control their destiny, but the Dolphins and Bengals (both 8-8) are right behind them.
For Miami to sneak in, they need a win and a Broncos loss.
The Bengals need even more help, with both the Broncos and Dolphins needing to lose on top of their own win. On a side note: wouldn’t it be fun to watch former LSU great Joe Burrow, or Joe Shiesty as they call him in the ‘League’, take a 9-8 Bengals team that started the season at 0-3 all the way to a Lombardi Trophy?!
Week 18 Games to Watch: Here’s what’s on tap for the final week of the regular season:
NFC North Showdown: Lions vs. Vikings – The division and top seed are on the line. Winner takes all.
NFC South Fight: Buccaneers vs. Saints and Falcons vs. Panthers – Can Tampa Bay hold off Atlanta’s late push?
AFC North Battle: Ravens vs. Browns and Steelers vs. Bengals – The division title is still anyone’s game.
Wild Card Chase: Broncos, Dolphins, and Bengals – Denver controls the last spot, but Miami and Cincinnati aren’t out of it yet.
With so much on the line, Week 18 is going to be an absolute thriller. Whether it’s division titles or wild-card spots, every game has something riding on it.
Get ready for some fireworks as the regular season comes to an epic close!
Moving On
By: Michael Spiers
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Atlanta Falcons made waves in early 2024 by signing veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins to a big four-year, $180 million deal.
But less than a year later, the team is already moving on. In a move that surprised many, Atlanta drafted Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth overall pick in the NFL Draft.
At the time, Penix was seen as a long-term project, but with their playoff hopes slipping away, the Falcons decided to speed up his development.
This bold decision not only shifts the team’s short-term game plan but also puts a spotlight on Cousins’ uncertain future.
Cousins started the season strong, but things went downhill fast over the last month. During a 1-4 stretch, he threw just one touchdown compared to nine interceptions and was sacked 11 times.
Now sitting at 7-7, Atlanta is still technically in the NFC South playoff race, but Cousins’ struggles left them little choice but to bench him.
The move shows the team no longer trusts him to lead—not just for the rest of this season, but likely beyond.
Financially, Cousins’ contract comes with challenges, but Atlanta has some options. He’s guaranteed $27.5 million in 2025, with another $10 million guaranteed in 2026 if he’s still on the roster.
The Falcons could release him after the season as a post-June 1 cut, which would result in a $40 million dead-cap hit. While that’s a hefty number, it would clear future obligations in 2025 and 2026.
Trading him is another option, though it’s trickier. They could save up to $27.5 million with a post-June 1 trade, but his no-trade clause and declining performance make this scenario harder to pull off.
From the beginning, it was clear Cousins might not be a long-term solution. Falcons GM Terry Fontenot turned heads by drafting Penix just weeks after signing Cousins, signaling the team was already planning for the future.
Fontenot defended the move, calling it a smart way to secure a franchise quarterback down the line. But the decision to bench Cousins so soon shows they never fully believed he could be the answer.
Unless Penix falters or the team makes a deep playoff run, it seems likely Cousins’ time in Atlanta is done.
His recent struggles, combined with the team’s pivot to Penix, highlight both his decline and the Falcons’ urgency to develop their rookie QB.
While Cousins could technically stay on as an expensive backup in 2025, that seems unlikely given the team’s commitment to moving forward with Penix.
Starting Penix now is a gamble, but one the Falcons felt they had to take. With the playoffs still within reach, they’re hoping the rookie can give their offense a spark.
Head coach Raheem Morris acknowledged the stakes, saying they didn’t expect to have such a high draft pick again, making Penix a key part of their future plans.
As for Cousins, his next move is up in the air. Teams like the Jets, Raiders, Titans, or even the 49ers and Rams could potentially be interested, especially with coaches like Kyle Shanahan or Sean McVay who have ties to Cousins from earlier in his career. Still, his declining play and no-trade clause complicate things.
At the end of the day, the Falcons’ switch from Cousins to Penix reflects a bigger strategy. They’re looking ahead to the future while trying to salvage what they can this season.
Whether this gamble pays off right away or takes time, it’s clear Atlanta is entering a new chapter at quarterback.
On The Clay
By: Teddy Bishop
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
With the French Open looming on the horizon tennis eyes are focusing on the red-clay courts of Roland Garros.
The very first French Open was held in 1891, but was aptly called the French Championships, since only men who were citizens of France were allowed to compete. The champion is listed as H. Briggs.
The French Championships didn’t include women until 1897. Four Frenchwomen competed, with Adine Masson winning the title. Masson went on to win a total of five French Championships.
In 1925, the tournament became international and was designated a Grand Slam event. Rene Lacoste of France won the men’s title, defeating fellow countryman Jean Borotra. Frenchwoman Susanne Lenglen defeated Britain’s Kathleen McKane to win the ladies’ title.
In 1928, a new tennis complex was built in Paris, and the president of the complex insisted that it be named Roland Garros Stadium, after a World War I hero, even though Garros never played professional tennis.
So—who was Roland Garros? Garros was an ‘ace’ French fighter pilot that came up with safer propeller blades that allowed for forward firing of machine guns.
There is some discrepancy as to how many enemy planes he actually shot down, but five downed planes would have classified him as an ‘ace.’ (Aerial warfare was something new. Remember, WWI started barely a decade after the Wright brothers and Kitty Hawk.)
In 1915, Garros’ plane developed engine trouble during an airfight, and he made an emergency landing in German territory.
He was quickly captured and sent to a prisoner-of-war camp. When he escaped some three years later, the war was winding down, but he resumed his role as a fighter pilot.
Unfortunately, a month before the war ended, Garros was killed when his plane was shot down. He was twenty-nine.
Enough about Roland Garros, the fighter pilot. Let’s talk about Roland Garros, home of the French Open Grand Slam tennis tournament.
The winningest player ever at Roland Garros is Rafael Nadal. Fourteen (the all-time record) of Nadal’s 22 Grand Slam titles have come at Roland Garros. Despite some recent injuries, the Spaniard is expected to go for number fifteen.
Bjorn Borg of Sweden won the French six times. Novak Djokovic, the GOAT with 24 Grand Slam championships, has only won three titles at Roland Garros (including 2023).
Switzerland’s Roger Federer, with 20 Slam titles, had only one championship at the French Open.
On the women’s side, American Chris Evert has the most French Open titles with seven, the first one in 1974, the last one in 1986.
German Steffi Graf won the title six times, as did Suzanne Lenglen, but only two of Lenglen’s wins came after the tournament became international. Serena Williams, arguably the greatest woman tennis player of all time with 23 Grand Slam titles, won the French only three times.
The first American woman to win the French Open was Helen Wills Moody in 1928, her first of four. The first American man was Don Budge in 1938. He actually won all four Grand Slam titles (Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, U.S. Open) that year, but 1938 was his only French Open victory.
Prize money for 2024 will be the highest ever, with both the men’s and ladies’ champion earning $2,567,051. Runners-up will receive $1,283,525. First-round losers will get $78,081. All prize money will be paid in Euros, of course.
The French Open begins Sunday, May 26th, and culminates with the Ladies’ Championship on Saturday, June 8th , and the Men’s Championship on Sunday, June 9th.
On to Roland Garros!
The Grass Cutters
By: Teddy Bishop
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Wimbledon! The oldest and most prestigious tennis tournament on the planet!
Since 1877, the All England Club in London has hosted The Championships, Wimbledon, all of them have been on grass.
Since 2003, either Roger Federer or Novak Djokovic has taken home the gentlemen’s trophy with only four exceptions. Rafael Nadal won in 2008 and 2010; Andy Murray in ’13 and ’16.
Federer, the #2 seed, has conquered these fabled grass courts eight times, more than any other man. Federer has also won 20 Grand Slam titles, also more than any other man.
Roger could face Kei Nishikori or John Isner before a potential semi-final matchup against Nadal. A final for Federer would probably match him against Djokovic.
Federer will be 38 in August but is coming off a tenth grass court championship at the Halle Open two weeks ago. Roger Federer last hoisted the Wimbledon trophy in 2017.
Novak Djokovic, the defending champion and the #1 seed, will be vying for his fifth title at the All England Club. Djokovic has 15 Grand Slam titles and hopes to eventually become the all-time slamholder.
Novak, age 32, may have the toughest draw of the top four seeds, including an interesting first round match against Philipp Kohlschreiber, who beat Djokovic at Indian Wells in March.
Djokovic could also play Stefanos Tsitsipas, the #7 seed, in a quarter-final. Djokovic is slated to play against Kevin Anderson in the semis and either Federer or Nadal in the final.
Rafael Nadal, age 33, is seeded third and has some interesting matches if he makes it to the final. Rafa could play Nick Kyrgious in the second round and Marin Cilic in the fourth.
Barring upsets, Nadal would have a quarter-final match against Dominic Thiem before meeting Federer in the semis.
His 18 Slam titles has him only two behind Federer with a strong possibility of eventually surpassing him.
Kevin Anderson is the #4 seed even though he is ranked eighth in the world. Anderson lost to Djokovic in the final last year and would have to get through Alexander Zverev (#6) in order to meet Novak in the semis.
On the ladies’ side, Ash Barty is the #1 seed while Naomi Osaka is #2, Karolina Pliskova #3, and Kiki Bertens #4. Angie Kerber, Petra Kvitova, Simona Halep, and Elina Svitolina are #s 5-8, respectively.
Barty won the French Open and followed it up with a win at Birmingham (England, not Alabama). Barty could very well win the ladies’ title but has very tough draw.
Osaka won last year’s U.S. Open and this year’s Australian Open but has faltered in recent tournaments.
Pliskova, Kerber, and Halep are all former #1 players, and Kerber is the defending champion. If Kerber can get past Serena Williams in the 4th round, she will probably sail into the final.
Kvitova won Wimbledon in 2011 and 2014. Bertens and Svitolina have had good 2019 seasons and could make strong runs at Wimbledon.
Serena, age 37, has won Wimbledon seven times and is hoping to tie Margaret Court’s record of 24 Grand Slam titles. Serena is seeded 11th and is always a threat to win any tournament she enters but hasn’t quite regained her pre-baby success.
Venus Williams has won Wimbledon five times, but the last one was 2008. Venus, 39, plays 15-year-old Cori Gauff in the first round.
The gentlemen’s champion and the ladies’ champion will earn almost $3 million each.
The runners-up will get almost $1.5 million each. Even first round losers will receive about $57,000. The ladies champion will receive the Venus Rosewater Dish rather than a trophy.
The champions? Novak Djokovic and Angie Kerber.
Ahh, Wimbledon!
